Safety of intrauterine devices in MRI.

Objectives: The paucity of safety information on intrauterine devices (IUD) for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations is clinically relevant. The aim of this study is to evaluate the MRI safety of clinically used IUDs composed of copper/gold and stainless steel at 1.5T and 3.

Reduction in respiratory motion artefacts on gadoxetate-enhanced MRI after training technicians to apply a simple and more patient-adapted breathing command.

Objective: To investigate whether a trained group of technicians using a modified breathing command during gadoxetate-enhanced liver MRI reduces respiratory motion artefacts compared to non-trained technicians using a traditional breathing command.

Materials And Methods: The gadoxetate-enhanced liver MR images of 30 patients acquired using the traditional breathing command and the subsequent 30 patients after training the technicians to use a modified breathing command were analyzed. A subgroup of patients (n = 8) underwent scans both by trained and untrained technicians.

Suction/Inspiration against resistance or standardized Mueller maneuver : a new breathing technique to improve contrast density within the pulmonary artery: a pilot CT study.

Objective: Our aim was to prospectively investigate whether the recently introduced suction/inspiration against resistance breathing method leads to higher computed tomography (CT) contrast density in the pulmonary artery compared to standard breathing.

Material And Methods: The present study was approved by the Medical Ethics committee and all subjects gave written informed consent. Fifteen patients, each without suspicious lung emboli, were randomly assigned to four different groups with different breathing maneuvers (suction against resistance, Valsalva, inspiration, expiration) during routine CT.

Suction against resistance: a new breathing technique to significantly improve the blood flow ratio of the superior and inferior vena cava.

Objectives: Optimal contrast within the pulmonary artery is achieved by the maximum amount of contrast-enhanced blood flowing through the superior vena cava (SVC), while minimum amounts of non-contrasted blood should originate from the inferior vena cava (IVC). This study aims to clarify whether "suction against resistance" might optimise this ratio.

Methods: Phase-contrast pulse sequences on a 1.

Small-bowel dislocation during long-term MRI observation - insights in intestinal physiology.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen is a widely established imaging modality in the diagnostic workup of patients suffering from abdominal disorders. Small-bowel motility analyses using MRI have recently been introduced to provide functional information about the intestine not provided by morphological analyses. This is of clinical importance as motility disorders correlate with inflammation.

Evaluation of the anti-peristaltic effect of glucagon and hyoscine on the small bowel: comparison of intravenous and intramuscular drug administration.

Purpose: To evaluate prospectively duration and effectiveness of aperistalsis achieved by glucagon(GLU) or hyoscine N-butylbromide(HBB) following various administration routes.

Materials And Methods: Six volunteers underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) after standardized oral preparation in random order five separate MR examinations with both spasmolytic agents (HBB intravenous(i.v.

ECG-triggered non-contrast-enhanced MR angiography (TRANCE) versus digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease of the lower extremities.

Objective: To prospectively determine the diagnostic value of electrocardiography-triggered non-contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (TRANCE) of the lower extremities including the feet versus DSA.

Methods: All 43 patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) underwent TRANCE before DSA. Quality of MRA vessel depiction was rated by two independent radiologists on a 3-point scale.

Feasibility of small bowel flow rate measurement with MRI.

Objective: To evaluate whether it is feasible to measure the segmental flux of small bowel content using MR phase-contrast (PC) pulse sequences.

Materials And Methods: Using a phantom the accuracy of flux measurements was validated. Afterwards, 10 volunteers were included in a prospective clinical trial.

Comparison of diffusion-weighted whole body MRI and skeletal scintigraphy for the detection of bone metastases in patients with prostate or breast carcinoma.

Purpose: To prospectively compare the diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted whole body imaging with background whole body signal suppression (DWIBS) with skeletal scintigraphy for the diagnosis and differentiation of skeletal lesions in patients suffering from prostate or breast cancer.

Material And Methods: A diagnostic cohort of 36 patients was included in skeletal scintigraphy and 1.5 T DWIBS MRI.

Aperistaltic effect of hyoscine N-butylbromide versus glucagon on the small bowel assessed by magnetic resonance imaging.

The aim of this prospective study was to compare the intraindividual aperistaltic effect of 40 mg hyoscine N-butylbromide (HBB/Buscopan) with that of 1 mg glucagon on small bowel motility by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Ten healthy volunteers underwent two separate 1.5-T MRI studies (HBB/glucagon) after a standardized oral preparation with an aqueous solution of Gd-DOTA and ispaghula (Metamucil).

Small bowel MR imaging: 1.5T versus 3T.

This article provides practical information regarding patient preparation schemes for small bowel MR imaging, and offers dedicated pulse sequence protocols for 1.5-T and 3-T MR imaging scanners, with specific emphasis on the advantages and remaining limitations of the higher field strength.

Time-resolved, high-resolution contrast-enhanced MR angiography of dialysis shunts using the CENTRA keyhole technique with parallel imaging.

Purpose: To evaluate the use of a dynamic keyhole magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) sequence combined with sensitivity encoding (SENSE) for hemodialysis shunts, because surveillance with conventional contrast-enhanced MRA (CE-MRA) is limited by its low temporal resolution, resulting in arteriovenous overlay.

Materials And Methods: A total of 12 patients with Brescia-Cimino shunts were investigated prospectively using the new technique. During the contrast passage (gadoterate, Gd-DOTA) a series of five to nine dynamic central k-space measurements (10% for upper-arm shunt, 25% for lower-arm shunt) followed by a full reference data set were acquired.

Small bowel motility assessment with magnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose: To assess primarily the feasibility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a tool to monitor small bowel peristaltic motion and secondarily to validate this technique by demonstrating drug-induced motility changes.

Materials And Methods: After a standardized oral preparation of Ispaghula husk (Metamucil) and meglumine gadoterate (Gd-DOTA; Dotarem), 10 volunteers underwent dynamic MRI using a two-dimensional turbofast field echo (TFE) sequence with a slice repetition time of 500 msec. Intraluminal cross-sectional caliber changes over time were assessed allowing quantification of the peristaltic frequencies and amplitudes of the small gut on various regions of interest.

High-resolution magnetic resonance angiography of hands with timed arterial compression (tac-MRA).

Timed arterial compression (tac) of blood flow can be achieved by inflation of a blood-pressure cuff. We postulated that this technique might improve contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the arteries of the hands. We studied eight volunteers and six patients with occlusive arterial disease of the hands with standard MRA and tac-MRA.